A Cinderella Story
by Marissalyn
Summary: A story about a boy and girl, Damon and Elena in a form of a cinderella story. picture Damon not being Stefan's brother, meaning Stefan never left with Klaus. don't hate me if you don't like the way i depicted Stefan in this, it just fit the plot.
1. Chapter 1

Elena awoke abruptly from a dream; an abnormal dream where there was a man dressed in black, and all he wanted to do was talk to her. It was nothing like her average dreams, but quickly shook off the questioning thoughts as she remembered that Stefan was in her bed. She rolled her eyes before rolling over and curling into his side. He sighed approvingly, wrapping an arm around her waist, pulling her closer. "Good morning." She whispered uncertainly, she wasn't sure as to what kind of mood he was in. "Good morning." She pulled away, sitting on her knees on the floral bed sheets. "I'm going to go get a shower." "Wait." He grabbed her hand, "Do you want to?" She wanted to gag; they hadn't had sex in a long time. "Not right now, I'm not in the mood, sorry."

She stood, padding into the bathroom as soon as she had shut the door, she heard him mumble, "Fine, well someone's got to relieve this boner." Then she heard the slightest sound of him pleasuring himself. It made her sick to her stomach as she turned on the shower and looked at herself in the mirror. If only she could just speak up, say something to him. Ever since he had a taste of blood, he's this whole new person, an arrogant sort of ignorant, abusive person. He had worse mood swings than a pregnant woman. Elena was no longer happy and she wasn't sure what to do, she hadn't been single in a little over three years. She didn't know if she could just fling herself back out there.

She closed her eyes and sighed in frustration, pulling out her hair tie. Climbing into the shower, she let the steaming water rain down on her. The hot beads hit her back as she leaned back against the tiled wall and closed her eyes once more. The dream came back to her, it was so realistic and yet so unbelievable. Whoever this man was in her unconsciousness, she would sure like to meet him. She could recall everything that had happened, his faced couldn't be seen but the way he held himself as he walked over to her and complimenting on her beauty before asking her name. He had never told her his but she could remember that he had smelled of bourbon, leather, and Old Spice.

She hadn't taken notice to how long she had been in there until she heard Stefan banging on the door, "Elena, you've been in there for half an hour! What are you doing?" she opened her eyes, quickly getting a shower. Once she dried herself off and wrapped a towel around her body, she opened the door to find Stefan sitting at the edge of her bed completely bare. She rolled her eyes for about the fourth time this morning towards him as she walked across the room to her dresser, pulling out the day's clothes. Stefan made a disapproving grunt as he left the room to get a shower. After she dressed, she brushed her hair and slipped out her bedroom door and down the stairs to the kitchen when she heard a brief knock at the door. She wondered who it could be as she walked down the little hallway to the front door.

She opened the door to find no one there but a small envelope on the welcome mat. That was odd she thought as she picked up the letter that was addressed to her and going back inside. She walked back to the kitchen, peeling back the opening with her fingernail when she heard Stefan descending the stairs. She didn't know why, but she quickly tucked the note into the dishwasher, somewhere Stefan would never go. She felt as if it was for her and only for her, nothing was ever just hers anymore. "What are you doing?" Stefan asked, curious. "Nothing, just making breakfast." "Great I'll have eggs." She ground her teeth together, "No problem." She grabbed the egg carton out of the fridge and cracked four in a bowl, stirring them with a whisk.

Later on as Stefan finally left the confinements of the Gilbert home, Elena resided to her bedroom where she plopped down onto her bed and pulled the envelope out. Inside was a folded piece of parchment. She unfolded the letter to find it to be an invitation to the Mystic Falls Masquerade Ball. At the bottom of the note said, 'see you there' in fancy cursive writing. Who could have sent this to her? Certainly not Stefan, could it? She shook her head, no, no it wasn't Stefan. She checked the date it was that Saturday night and it was already Thursday! She let out a disgruntled sigh; she didn't want anyone to go with her, definitely not Stefan. She could get Bonnie and Caroline to cover for her she supposed.

She smiled to herself as she fell back on her bed, the letter lying freely on her stomach as she thought of what to wear…

….

A/N: Hey guys, I know it's been awhile but I had just gotten the idea for this last night and I had to write it. Well I hope you guys like and thank you for reading.

I love you guys

Stay Beautiful,

Marissa


	2. Chapter 2

Elena woke up in a pool of sweat, breathing heavily and straining to catch her breath. She just had the best dream she could possibly ever think of. The man in the black clothes kept reappearing in her dreams, his signature scent of bourbon, leather, and cologne still lingered in her nose as she stood, ready to face the day with a swing in her step. She received a text from Stefan saying that he would pick her up at noon. It was already eleven!

She got a quick shower and dressed in a pair of blue jeans and white V-neck, she decided to go for the All-American girl look. She combed through her hair with her fingers as she checked her reflection in the mirror. She heard a car pull up in the drive way as she skipped down the stairs, her dream still lingering in her head. She opened the door to find Stefan standing patiently in the door way. "Ready to go?" he asked. "Yeah, I just need to grab my purse." She grabbed her purse off of the kitchen counter when she noticed something flutter to the ground out of the corner of her eye.

She reached down to find a white envelope. She checked to make sure Stefan was still waiting on the porch before quietly easing the envelope open. A folded up piece of notebook paper was tucked inside. She unfolded it, her eyes reading over the short message in the same calligraphy hand writing from yesterday that had been on the invite to the dance. 'Hey Elena, why don't you check the fridge, there's a surprise for you.' She tucked the note into her back pocket before walking over to the fridge.

She cracked open the refrigerator door to find a little plastic case on the top shelf. She lowered it down to find a white gardenia in a form of a corsage. Another note lied within it. She carefully opened the small box, picking up the note. 'This is only the beginning my sweet Elena.'

"What's that?" Elena spun around, keeping the corsage hidden behind her back, "What's what?" Stefan stood in the kitchen, a suspicious look on his face. "That box you were holding, what is it?" Elena slipped the box back into the fridge. "I don't know what you're talking about Stefan." He sighed, taking a few strides over to her, "Don't lie to me Elena." He pushed her away from the fridge, making her almost lose her footing and falling back slightly into the counter. She sucked in a breath in pain as Stefan yanked open the fridge and pulled out the corsage. He ripped open the container and dangled the flower by two fingers, "Whose is this?" Elena panicked, "Jenna's, its Jenna's." He nodded his lips in a straight line, "I see."

He pulled out the note, "I don't suppose Jenna's admirer had confused her name with her niece's?" Elena gulped, "Stefan I- "Save it Elena, who is writing you love letters and sending flowers?" "No one- "Bullshit! Are you seriously going to lie to my face when the evidence is right here in my hands?" "Stefan, I don't know who it is." He threw down the corsage, walking over to her before lifting her up off of her feet, "Don't you dare fucking lie to me! How fucking stupid do you think I am!" he slapped her, sending her into the wall. "I sick and fucking tired of not being able to trust you Elena, I love you, I just want to help you." She cowered in the corner as Stefan laughed at her, "You're pathetic Elena, pathetic! What else is this guy sending you, or is it a girl perhaps?"

She was crying silently as Stefan ran up the stairs in a flash. Elena ran after him. When she got to her room, Stefan was sending all of her things in every which way around her room. He ripped open her desk drawer, sending things flying onto the wooden floor. "Stefan stop! Stefan stop it!" he ignored her completely as he continued to rifle through her belongings. He checked her closet, her bureau, anywhere he could think of when he passed over a creak floor board by her bedside. He knelt down to slide open the loosened panel. He pulled out her journal. Elena's eyes widened, "Stop, Stefan- He looked up at her, furious as he was she continued to yell, "What's in there is none of your business!" He smirked, "You're MY girlfriend, it most certainly is my fucking business!"

He stood up, beginning to pace back and forth in front of her window as he read aloud, "Last night I had a dream, a dream about a man clothed in black. I couldn't see his face but for some reason I felt like I could trust him. He was a lot nicer than Stefan could ever be." He chuckled before continuing, "He smelled heavenly of bourbon leather, and cologne. His body just dripped with sex." He flipped a few pages before placing a finger on a page. "Let's see what you wrote today, shall we? I'm very excited for the masquerade ball Saturday; I wonder who had invited me to go. My stomach flutters at the possibility of it not being Stefan." Stefan slammed the book shut, throwing it onto the bed.

"The truth is ugly, I can admit that. Well Elena it seems that you have grown bored of me, I'm terribly sorry for that." He sidled up to her, "So who are you cheating on me with, huh? Is it Matt? I don't have the patience Elena; just tell me who it is so I can stop wasting my time." Tears fell down Elena's face as she said, "Fuck you." He grinned, "I already do, considering you refuse to put out anymore." Elena looked away in fear of what was to come next as he screamed, "Who are you fucking behind my back?" "No one." Stefan's hand came down on her face, "Stop lying!" "I'm not!" he back handed her once more, leaving an imprint of his ring on her eyelid. "I'm tired of being nice, I'm not going to waste any more time on a slut like you." He hit her one more time, sending her flying in the corner, smacking her head on the bed frame. Then he was gone.

Elena wasn't sure how long she was lying there, minutes, hours, she didn't know. Finally she struggled to stand as she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her right eye was swollen and completely purple. Her lip was split and her nose had a trail of dried blood coming from her nostrils. She stumbled into the bathroom, wiping away the dried blood and placing a cold rag on her eye. She walked down stairs to find the white gardenia still on the ground as she fell to the ground, placing the corsage back into the case and folding the note back up and slipping it into her pocket. Then she began to sob, crying for anything and everything, is was one of the very few times she ever let herself really cry…


	3. Chapter 3

Elena awoke to a knock at the door. She sat up on the couch, pushing her hair out of her eyes and standing, still clothed in her clothes from the day before. She approached the door with caution, afraid it might be Stefan. She looked through the peep hole to find no one on the other side of the door. She opened door, curious to know if anyone was out of the peep hole's view. She stepped out onto the welcome mat, kicking a box. She knelt down, picking up the box and walking back inside, kicking the door shut behind her. She walked back into the living room, setting the box down on the coffee table and slipping the top off of the box, inside embedded in lilac tissue paper lay a freshly tailored cream colored Cinderella dress. She gasped as she picked up the note that was resting on top. '_Dearest Elena, wear this dress tonight so everyone can see just how beautiful you are. Meet me in the garden of the Lockwood residence once the clock strikes midnight, I'll be waiting' _

She held the fabric between her thumb and forefinger, she had forgot tonight was the masquerade ball! Well now she had something to wear; now she just needed to figure out how she would be doing her hair and how to get rid of these bruises. She didn't want to scare her secret admirer away just yet.

After about two hours getting a shower and getting dressed, Elena stood in front of her floor length mirror and smiled. Pleased with her reflection, she checked her arms and neck for any bruises or welts. She gladly noted that she had covered them fully. Her hair was in a half up-half down style. Little ringlets dangled from where they were bobby pinned. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding as she walked down the stairs nervously afraid that she would bump into Stefan on the way over or whilst she was there for that matter.

She grabbed her purse and pinned the corsage over her left breast. She walked out onto the porch and down the stairs, over to her car. She pulled up in front of the Lockwood home moments later, climbing out of her car and stepping out onto the pavement. She walked steadily on her heels as she reached the front door as Tyler greeted her, "Hey Elena, where's Stefan?" She stuttered, "Uh, he couldn't make it. Had some things to take care of." He nodded, looking at her skeptically before stepping to the side, "Well come on in, have fun." "Thanks." She walked past him, letting out a sigh before stepping into the dining room for a drink. It was only eight so she had a little while to go before finally getting to meet her admirer. Everyone was wearing masquerade masks, but she could recognize people here and there.

"Elena." She turned to see Matt standing in front of her in a tux and a plum colored mask covering his eyes. His blonde hair combed back and his jaw cleanly shaven. "Hey, Matt." She held her glass that was filled to the brim with whiskey in her hand tightly. He looked to the drink, "I didn't know you drank." She looked down at the glass and back up into his baby blues, "I don't." "Then why?" she gulped and chuckled nervously as she saw a familiar person approach them, "Matt, you should go." Matt turned to look behind him to find Stefan standing there in a tux and a scarlet mask just covering his eyes and the bridge of his nose. "Stefan, hey."

Stefan stood there, his jaw clenched as he looked between the two of them. "I see." He began angrily. Matt's brows furrowed, "I'm sorry?" Elena tried again, "Matt, just go." "What's going on here?" he asked, directing it at Stefan. Stefan chuckled, "No need to be the hero here Matt." "What are you talking about?" Elena slammed back her glass, gulping the alcohol in one gulp and said, "Leave him alone Stefan." "Or what Elena, you know what I'm capable of and little girl like you can't do anything to stop me." She flinched at his words, he was referring to the night he beat her. "Is there a problem here?" it was Tyler. Stefan turned to look at the young werewolf, "No not really." "Good because I don't want a fight to ruin this high." His eyes were bloodshot as he walked away after grabbing a bottle of scotch.

"I think we should take this outside don't you Elena? Wouldn't want to cause a scene do we?" "No we don't." Matt wasn't going to walk away though, "What needs to be taken outside exactly?" Stefan ground his teeth together, grabbing Matt's neck and glaring daggers into his eyes, "Walk away and forget that Elena and I were ever here, understood?" Matt began to choke as he struggled out a, "Yes." Stefan dropped him back onto his feet as he grabbed a hold of Elena's elbow, dragging her out into the garden. White lights twinkled from the bushes as people began heading back inside. Stefan pushed Elena away from him slightly, "How many times do I have to tell you Elena? You are mine." "I am not property Stefan and especially not yours." "That's what you think." "Do you really want to do this here?" She asked as he clicked his tongue, "You thought you could go behind my back is that it?" "No." "It was nice of Matt to get you that pretty little corsage. Too bad he can't protect you very much." "Leave me alone."

Stefan began to chuckle like a mad man, "You're the one that has brought us to this. Now considering you're on vervain I'm just going to have to force you." "To do what?" "Well hitting you didn't do very much now did it? Now I'm going to have to step it up a notch." He took a step towards her. She finally got what he was implying. "No." He grinned, "Oh yes." He grabbed her waist, pulling her behind the bushes and pulled her dress up over her hips. "Is this what you want you fucking slut?" he ripped off her panties. He kissed her lips roughly as he unbuckled his pants. "No, no get off of me!" he just laughed, he laughed and laughed as she tried to squirm out of his arms. He gripped her legs hard, pinning them to the ground as he pushed into her. She screamed and screamed and he used her body. "You like to scream? Here I'll scream with you." He screamed as she began to cry.

Suddenly he was ripped off of her as she heard a struggle. "Who the fuck are you?" and then a gasp. Somebody hit the ground with a thump. Someone stood over her, giving her a hand. They pulled her up as she met piercing blue eyes. He had raven colored hair and a chiseled jaw. He helped her push her dress back down. She still had her mask on as he pulled it away from her face and removing a few twigs from her hair. "You must be Elena, I'm Damon. I've been sending you letters?" She smiled weakly as he sighed, "Let's go get you cleaned up." She looked to the ground just in time to see Stefan's hardened grey face before Damon whisked her away.


	4. Chapter 4

Damon carried Elena up the stairs and into his apartment, trying to stay quiet as to not wake her. She looked so peaceful asleep and he was lucky enough to have saved her in time. Stefan could have killed for all he knew and probably would have from the way he was controlling her. He didn't even want to think of it as he pushed it out of his mind. He laid her down on his bed, slipping her heels off and placing them beside the bed post. He tucked her in and then returned to the kitchen for a quick bourbon and then lied down on the couch, trying to get comfortable.

Elena awoke the next morning with a splitting head ache and sat up in the unfamiliar bed. She looked about the room, confused until the events of the night before started to become known in her memory. She noticed Damon standing in the doorway, grimacing at her. "What are you smiling at?" she asked, uncertain. "I like your bedhead." He chuckled lightly as she ran her fingers through her hair. She could feel her cheeks grow a shade of red as he smiled at her.

"Bathroom's in there." He pointed towards the connecting door in the room. "Towels are on the shelf and there are a pair of my sweats and a tee you can wear while I throw your dress in the wash." She stood and stumbled slightly as he flashed to her side in a blink, holding on to her elbow, holding her steadily. She looked up at him skeptically, "I'm fine." He nodded, stepping away from her, backing out of the room. "Right, I'll just be right out here." He jammed his thumb backwards towards the rest of the apartment. He started to disappear into the other room when Elena sighed, "Damon wait." He peeked back around the corner, "I'm sorry, thank you." He smiled warmly, "You're welcome." Then he was gone.

Elena made her way over to the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. She leaned over the sink to look at herself in the mirror; there were finger marks around her throat and her wrists. She slipped her dress over her head as she looked at her naked body. There was more discoloration on her hips and sides as she closed her eyes tightly and sucked in a deep breath trying not to remember, but she did anyways. She would always remember that horrid night were her biggest nightmare became a reality, the look in Stefan's eye as he shoved her dress up and out of his way, how he had defiled her in such a way without even a second thought. If Damon hadn't been there, she knew that she would have died, that thanks to this mystery man who has been sending her letters for four days now had saved her life, if it weren't for him she would have not escaped death's cold grip.

She turned on the sink faucet and splashed her face with warm water, today was a new day, Stefan was dead and she had this new man in her life. She padded over to the shower, twisting the faucet to boiling and stepping underneath the showerhead, feeling the hot beads of water hit the back of her head, running down the length of her back and ending by pooling around her feet and swirling down the drain. Washing away all of the misery and regret from the day before. Just then she heard a knock at the door, "Come in!" Damon entered the bathroom now filled with steam, "Just came to grab your dress to through in the wash." He said, looking on the ground to pick up the rumpled dress. He picked it up to find a black lacy bra underneath. He gulped slightly before standing back up, leaving the bra where it is and backing out of the bathroom, "I'm making breakfast." "Ok!" She shouted over the sound of the water. She waited for the sound of the door shutting again to let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, leaning back against the tile wall, letting the hot water cleanse her skin.

Once she was finished showering, she step out of the shower, a towel wrapped tightly around her body to find a pair of sweatpants and a white Henley sitting on top of the toilet and her discarded bra on top. Her cheeks flushed a light shade of pink at knowing that Damon had seen her bra. She shook her head at her foolishness and continued to take off her towel and wrap it around her head to dry her hair. She hooked on her bra and lifted the shirt to find a pair of boxer briefs, charcoal grey underneath. They looked new as she shrugged, what the hell she thought as she pulled them on, one leg at a time, than continued to pull on the baggy sweatpants that said Dartmouth on the side, pulling the drawstring out as far as possible to actually fit her. She lifted the long sleeve shirt up to her nose to smell a mixture of three things, old spice, leather, and a hint of bourbon…

I know, I know I haven't updated this story or anything in over two months and to update it in such a way as this? With a cliff hanger? I'd like to say I'm back and am working two new stories! One cross over which I've never done before and yet another Delena. Anywhoo if you liked this review and whatnot and stay tuned for the next chapter of A Cinderella Story.

Stay Beautiful,

Marissaxo


	5. Chapter 5

Elena smelled a hint of nostalgia, she had smelled this mixture before and then it hit her, Damon was the man in her previous dreams! But how was that even possible when she hadn't met him before last night? She pulled the shirt on over her head and headed out into the kitchen where she found Damon with a towel over one shoulder as he flipped a pancake. "Morning." He spoke without even turning to face her. "Morning." She said, standing at the island. He turned with two plates in hand overflowing with eggs, pancakes, bacon, and sausage. "Please, sit." He placed the plates on the table as he grabbed two champagne glasses off of the counter, "Mimosa?" he asked as he sat down across from her, "Sure." She said as Damon handed her the glass.

She looked to her plate, "There's no way I can eat all of this." "You don't have to eat _all_ of it." He said, dragging out the 'all'. "Thank-you again, really it's very generous of you, bringing me here." He moved his eggs around on his plate with a fork, "It's the least I can do, I mean it was my fault you almost died last night." Elena looked up at him, "Last night was not your fault, Stefan and I were just not right for each other, I had begun to see that awhile back it's just, he wasn't someone who liked being broken up with, he liked to be in charge." Damon nodded, not wanting to prod as she continued, "Sorry, I don't mean to bore you." "No, not at all, I like hearing what you have to say." Elena smiled as she bit into a slice of bacon, "It's just, Stefan and I were having a falling out. After he started drinking human blood again, he wasn't the same person I fell in love with. When we met, he was drinking animal blood and he convinced me that he cared about everyone and everything but then he turned into this self-loathing jackass." Damon watched her as she begun to eat, listening to everything she had to say, being completely and utterly, head over heels for her. Funny how he had just talked to her for the first time the night before and now he just adored her.

"Can I ask you something Damon?" "Yeah, anything." Elena looked down at her plate and then back up at him, "We are basically strangers, so I wanted to know why you were sending me those letters." Damon gulped, he didn't want to tell her exactly how he knew about her, but he didn't want to lie to her either. "Well, I heard about you through my ex-girlfriend Katherine, she said that there was girl that looked just like her, she had a doppelganger. At first I didn't know what that was, so I spent some time in my library until three months after she told me, I finally found out what a doppelganger was." Elena looked at him sideways, "Which is?" "A ghostly double or counterpart of a living person." "So what you're saying is that I look like your ex-girlfriend?" "I know that's what it sounds like, but there's more to me than that, at least now there is." "What do you mean?" "Well, Katherine broke up with me soon after when I found out she was cheating on me with some guy named Mason. I left town, not wanting to ever see her again when I stumbled on your little town. I thought it was a nice change, you see I lived in New Jersey and Virginia sounded like a nice change, but after getting a place and everything I went out to lunch one day at the Grille and I saw you, waitressing. At first I thought you were Katherine, you see Katherine liked to mess with people's minds, compelling anyone and everyone she met basically. So I waited till closing, the bartender came over to me telling me you were closing up and so I left." Damon decided to leave out the part of following her home and stalking her for over two months.

Elena listened as he went on, "I saw you again, jogging down my street and then the next day at the park with some friends." Elena thought for a moment before saying, "That must have been a week ago; I was with Caroline and Bonnie." Damon nodded, "As I watched you, I came to notice that you were nothing like Katherine, that you were the complete polar opposite. Does this creep you out?" Elena chuckled, "A little bit, but its ok, I rather have you stalking me than having an abusive boyfriend." Damon smiled, "Good, I thought that they might've scared you off." "I wanted to tell you something though." She spoke, "I was having some dreams about a man who took care of me, this might sound a little crazy, but I think that man was you." Damon smiled, "That sounds nice." Elena smiled, standing to put her dish in the sink, "That's what I thought too."


	6. Chapter 6

"Let me get that, you shouldn't have to wash dishes, you're a guest." Damon said, grabbing the sponge from her and begun to wash dishes as Elena watched, finishing her mimosa. "So Damon, tell me about yourself." Damon smiled at her attitude, "Well, I was born in 1843; I have one sister and two parents, all of which are diseased. I met Katherine in 1864; I was 21 years old and she 464. She's the one that turned me; I was head over heels for her the moment I laid eyes on her. I knew that if I truly loved her I would want to be by her side as long as she was alive and so I asked for her to turn me. 61 years later in 1925, Katherine met my good friend Mason and then four months later ran away with him; I guess she got tired of me. So then I decided to change, I was in such a state of heartbreak that I got into the wrong crowd, drug dealers, druggies, alcoholics, the like and I was just partying all night, sleeping all day until I saw Katherine again in 1965. Because I am a vampire, none of the drugs could really damage my body but when I saw her alone, she snapped me right out of my high."

Elena listened intently to the story; it was completely different hearing a story about someone who was 169 years old. Damon continued as he walked into the living room sitting down as Elena sat beside him, "So I begged for her back, I told her that I couldn't live without her, I know pathetic right? Well she just laughed at me but gave me a look. Now I've seen this look before from her and she made a deal with me. The deal was that she would come back if and only if I helped her find her bloodline. You see, back in 1400, Katherine was only about eighteen, nineteen and she had a daughter, but her father wouldn't let her keep her and instead they gave it away to another family who they believed was old enough there for mature enough. Her loss of the baby led her to meet the wrong people. She met a man, Klaus Mickaelson and they were together but then she set her eyes on his brother Elijah. I'm glad I don't have a brother because who knows; maybe Katherine would have found him more worthy of the change than me, but anyways. Klaus found out that Katherine was seeing his brother at the same time they were together and Klaus grew jealous, he threatened her saying that if he ever saw her again, he'd kill her, plus at the time she was the doppelganger and he knew it. He wanted her dead so she was on the run for years when she met a guy who promised to help her, he took her back to his friend who gave her vampire blood only to heal, but instead of healing Katherine decided to kill herself knowing she'd come back as a vampire, therefore severing all ties of her blood being used for evil. Klaus no longer could use her."

"So when she asked me to help find her bloodline, I knew she wanted to know if her daughter survived and if her family continued, it was the only way." Elena felt like a child being told a fairytale, "Well did you find her bloodline?" Damon smirked, "I did, back in that time though your mother was only a baby. Your mother was Katherine's great granddaughter of sorts and you are as well." "So what happened after that? You obviously aren't together, are you?" Damon smiled weakly, "No, we were together up until 1988, I came home from college one day to find her gone. She left her stuff behind so I figured she must have just gone out, it took me a year to figure out that she wasn't coming back and I haven't seen her since." Elena nodded, "Wow, that's some story." Damon grinned, "You're the first person I ever told it to." "Really?" "Really." Elena placed a hand over his that rested on his knee, looking into his eyes, "Thank-you for telling me." Damon looked from her eyes to her lips, "Anytime." Elena's eyes were roaming as well as they both leaned in, kissing for the first time.


	7. Chapter 7

"Wow that was, um." Elena bit her lip, looking down at her lap. "Wow." Damon finished for her. "Yeah." Elena could feel her face grow pink. Damon ran a finger over her jaw, "Why are you embarrassed?" "I just got out of a relationship, I don't want to impose." Damon's brows bunched together, tilting her face back up to look her in the eye, "Impose? You could never impose. I like having you here." "We just met." "So?" "I have a lot of baggage." "As you could tell from my little storytelling, so do I." Elena looked away, looking out the front door. Damon spoke again, "Look, I understand if it's too soon but please don't go." Elena looked back at him; Damon was looking at her, his eyes full of hope. "Ok, I won't go just yet, but it does seem a little soon." He nodded, "Understandable." He was grinning as he said, "So what do you want to do?" "Well I do need to get a few things from my house." "I'll take you now." Damon stood, grabbing his keys from the counter and walked over to the door, opening it and sweeping his hand through the air, gesturing for her to go first, "Ladies first." Elena giggled, leaving the apartment with Damon following.

"Here we are." He said as they pulled up out front of the Gilbert home. "You live here alone?" he continued to ask as he looked over to Elena who was already getting out of the car. "Well I used to live here with my aunt and little brother but then they moved in with my aunt's boyfriend Alaric and left the house to me. After that I lived here with Stefan for the most part, it was very rare that he would go home. Damon nodded as he followed her up onto the porch and waited as she unlocked the door and followed her inside. "Nice house." He mentioned as she headed up the stairs. Elena was not having a good time coming back here, everywhere she looked reminded her of Stefan. Damon asked from the foot of the stairs, "Do you want me to come with you or wait down here?" she looked back at him, "You can come up." Damon nodded, taking the steps two at a time, meeting her at the landing. Elena moved over to her bedroom door, opening slowly, she caught herself expecting Stefan on the other side, sitting on the bed waiting for her. Her heart fell when she found the room empty. Damon could notice her mood change as he stood in the door way, he felt it was too personal to enter their bedroom. Elena went to her dresser, accidentally opening his side and seeing all of his clothes neatly folded in the drawer. She took a deep intake of breath as she closed it and opened her own, pulling clothes as she set the on the bed and then moved over to the closet to grab a duffel bag.

Damon watched her every move before looking around the room to notice the vanity mirror cracked down the middle in the shape of impact of someone's head hitting it. He took notice to a few things discarded on the floor in a violent looking matter. Something bad happened here, maybe even more than once. He had gotten this unsettling feeling, he felt like he needed to whisk her away and never let her get hurt again. Elena stuffed the clothes in the bag, leaving the room for a moment to go into the bathroom only to come moments later with a few toiletries in hand. After she zipped up the bag and slung it over her shoulder, she stood face to face with Damon. "Are you ok?" he asked. Elena nodded, "I'm fine." Damon let her pass, following her back down the stairs. Elena stopped in the kitchen as Damon noticed as she was cleaning out the fridge, a clear plastic container sitting on the top shelf. He leaned over her, taking it out of the fridge to notice that it was the white gardenia corsage he had sent her only that all the petals were all off of the stem. Elena took the container from him, placing it back in the fridge and headed back to his car. He knew she didn't want to talk about it but he was dying to know what had happened. "Elena, what happened to the corsage I sent you?" She ignored him as he caught up to her by the time they reached his car as he reached out for her shoulder, turning her around. By the time she faced him, she was crying as she leaned into him, wetting his shirt as he held her closer, trying to sooth her.

Just then Caroline was out on her porch and just so happened to lay her eyes on Elena hugging some guy, but where was Stefan?


	8. Chapter 8

"I'll get you some tea." Damon said, covering Elena in a blanket on the couch. "Damon really I'm fine." She said, curling up into the blanket. "Are you sure?" "Yeah, just hold me." Damon knew he was getting mixed signals from her but he would do anything and everything for her, no matter what. "Sure." He said as he sat down beside her as she leaned into his side. An hour or so later, Elena was breathing deep breaths as Damon picked her newlywed style, carrying her to his bed. She had a long day; it would take a while for her to get over Stefan. He was a big part of her life, if anyone understood that it was Damon. As Damon lied her down, pulling the blankets up and over her he leaned down, placing a chaste kiss to her forehead when he heard a knock at the door. Damon looked to his watch, who would be knocking on his door at 10pm on a Sunday? He opened the door to find that last person on the earth he's want to see on the other side, leaning against the door frame. "Katherine." "Hello Damon." She said sweetly, leaning in to hug him, "What no kiss?" "How did you find me here?" he asked, ignoring her question as she walked past him and into the apartment. "Nice place you have here." Damon turned, shutting the door, "Answer the question Katherine." She looked up at him through her lashes, "I know people." Damon rolled his eyes, "You need to leave." She cocked her head to the side, "Why? You have some lady friend over?" Damon sighed, "What do you want?" Katherine smirked, "Who is she?" she headed off into the direction of the bedroom and stopped short when she reached the doorway, letting out a slight gasp.

"You naughty boy, my doppelganger?" she turned to face him, "How's you find her?" she asked, sounding interested. "She lives here in Mystic Falls and I didn't exactly _find_ her. It was more like stumbled upon her." Katherine rolled her eyes, "Whatever, so you were really that desperate? You couldn't have me so you went after my doppelganger?" Damon growled, "I'm not desperate and I don't need or want you, not anymore." Katherine walked up to him, "Does she know about you? Hell, does she know about me?" "Yes." Katherine nodded, as she inched closer. "You should go." Damon said breathily as she dragged a nail down his thin white t-shirt. "Why, you don't like me anymore?" Damon gulped slightly, attempting to ignore her beauty, "No." "Is that so?" she asked, standing up straight, "That's a shame, you got even hotter, if that's even possible." She said under her breath and begun heading out the door. "Goodbye Katherine." Damon said, watching her go. Katherine poked her head back through the door way, "Oh I'm not going anywhere honey. I kinda like it here, it's so southern chic." She grinned, "I'll be seeing you." Then she was gone.


	9. Chapter 9

Elena woke the next morning, sitting up in the bed and running her fingers through her hair. She heard the door to the bathroom open as she quickly flopped back down on the bed, pretending to sleep as she saw Damon step out of the steamy room, water clinging to his muscled torso, his hairs slicked down and pointing out in every which way with water droplets falling from it. He held his towel that was wrapped around his waist with one hand as he tip toed through the room, opening drawers his dresser and pulling out a pair of blue basketball shorts and a black tank top. He looked back her as Elena watched through cracked slits as he dropped his towel as Elena saw his bare toned butt. He pulled on a pair of boxer briefs and then the shorts as she watched the muscles in his shoulders flex as he pulled on his tank top. He looked at her once more before moving over to the night table, writing something down on the piece of paper before leaving the room. Moments later Elena heard the front door close as she sat up once more and picked up the sticky note, '_Elena, gone down the street to the gym. Will be back around ten –Damon.' _Elena smiled, standing up from the bed and checking the clock, she had about two hours until he came back. She hopped in the shower and then changed into a pair of grey skinny jeans and a purple camisole with a black sweatshirt over top with black Toms and a burgundy droopy beanie with a pair of black Ray Ban shades. She grabbed her bag off of the kitchen counter and headed out the door to go down the street as well to stop in at the Grille for coffee and some breakfast.

Matt took her order as she sat in the far corner, her favorite booth in the whole place for when she wanted some peace and quiet. Just then Caroline entered the bar as well, spotting Elena and heading over to her table. "Hey!" Caroline said as Elena looked up at her, setting her mug down on the table, "Hey Care." Caroline sat down across from her, "So I saw you yesterday." "Did you really?" Elena asked, mouthing a thank you to Matt as he set down her plate of eggs and bacon. "Yeah, who was that guy you were hugging?" Elena nearly choked on her eggs, "What guy?" Caroline cocked her head, "You were hugging him outside of your house, and he had dark brown hair and was tall. He wasn't Stefan so who was he?" Elena pushed the eggs around on her plate, "His name's Damon." "Why were you hugging him?" "He helped me with something." "Well where's Stefan?" Elena quickly came up with a lie, "We got in a fight, and I haven't seen him since." Caroline looked stunned, "Oh." Elena threw a twenty down on the table and a ten for Matt. "Yeah, well I got to go it was nice seeing you Caroline." "Yeah you too." She said, something was fishy she just couldn't place her finger on it.

Elena headed back to the apartment, settling down into the recliner with a cup of tea, a blanket, and a worn copy of Wuthering Heights that she found in Damon's bookshelf. Damon walked into the room then, he had a hand behind his back, "Good morning." He said, entering the room and unlacing his black high tops. Elena looked up from her page, "Good morning to you too." Damon was drenched in sweat as he kept grinning at her. "What are you so giddy about?" she asked, sitting up as Damon shrugged. "Beautiful girl, beautiful morning." Just then he pulled out his arm from behind his back to show a bouquet of blood red roses. "They're beautiful." She stood, taking the flowers from his hand, "Thank you." She went to hug him but he took a step back, "I'm all sweaty." Elena rolled her eyes, "Let me hug you dammit." Damon chuckled, "Fine." He enveloped her in a hug as she pulled back, "Now go get a shower, you stink." She slapped him on the butt as he shook his head and headed towards the bathroom.

"Just then there was a knock at the door." Elena opened the door to stare at herself. "Hello, I'm Katherine."


	10. Chapter 10

"Elena." Elena said. "I just came here to leave a message." "OK, what is it?" Katherine smirked, "Back off, you have no idea who you're messing with." Elena opened her mouth to respond when she heard Damon coming out of his bedroom. She turned back around to find Katherine gone as she stared out into the empty hallway. Elena shut the door feeling confused and a bit angry. If that was the Katherine Damon had told her about, she had no right coming here and just calling dibs on her ex-boyfriend, right? Damon came out of his bedroom in a pair of sweats and a long sleeve shirt, drying his hair with a towel. "Who was it?" he asked as she turned around to face him, "Just one of your neighbors asking about the newspaper. She wanted to know if you had gotten one because she hadn't." Damon nodded, "It must have been Ms. Eleanor from down the hall. Maybe I should go talk to her, she lives by herself, and at her age I'm sure she's just lonely." Elena stopped him before he reached the door, "She seemed fine. I'm sure she'd just misplaced it." Damon nodded, "Ok. Do you want to watch a movie?" Elena smiled warmly, "I'd like that."

For the rest of the day they cuddled on the couch, Damon holding her as they watched a few movies until it was dinner time. "Do you want take out?" he asked, standing up and moving over to the island where the take out menu drawer was. "Thai food or Italian?" "Thai sounds good." He smirked, "Thai it is." Damon may have been happy but all Elena could think about was why Katherine had showed, threatening her to leave Damon alone. "Elena." Elena looked up from her dinner, "Yes?" "You seem to be miles away." "Sorry." She sat up straight, leaning back against the chair and pushing the remaining food around on her plate with her fork. "What are you thinking about?" "Nothing." "It's not nothing, what is it? You can tell me." He stood, pushing his chair back from the table and gathering the plates to set them in the sink. Elena contemplated telling him, she didn't know how he would take it, knowing his ex-girlfriend was in town. She felt the familiar feeling of jealous stab her in the gut. "Damon." "Hm?" "Remember when you asked me who was at the front door and I told you it was your neighbor?" "Yeah." He turned the faucet off, drying his hands. "I lied to you; it was your ex-girlfriend Katherine." Damon turned to face her, "What did she say to you? Whatever she said, don't listen to her she's a manipulative, conceited, lying bitch." Elena stood, "She threatened me, telling me to back off and to stay away from you." Damon gulped, "And?" "I don't care about her. I don't want to stay away from you. I know this might sound crazy, we just met but I think I'm in love with you." Damon's breath caught in his throat, "You're what?" Elena's heart fell, "I'm sorry, I thought that…" Damon stepped over to her, "No, I mean I love you too." Elena kissed him then, shutting him up.

Damon pulled away, breathing heavily. "The dishes…" "Fuck the dishes." She pulled him in again, biting his bottom lip. Damon moaned into her mouth as he pulled away once more, "Are you sure about this? If we do this I won't be able to handle just one night of you. I need to know that this isn't just a fling." Elena reached up, cradling his face, "I love you, believe me, I'd fall apart too if this wasn't real." Damon covered his mouth with hers, keeping her from saying anything else, she didn't need to, he believed her. Soon enough he had backed her into the bedroom as he pushed her down onto the bed. He pulled his shirt over his head as she watched him, entranced by his every move. He grinned down at her as he slid her up the bed, tugging her shirt off at the same time. Damon looked her over, from her heaving chest to her chocolate doe eyes. "God, you're so beautiful." He straddled her, a leg on each side of hers. Her hair splayed out on the pillow as he ran his fingers down her stomach to the button of her jeans, "Are you sure?" She smiled, nodding her head. He popped the button on her pants, sliding them down her long luscious legs, revealing inch by agonizing inch of gorgeous olive skin. He tossed the offending piece of clothing behind him, hearing it hit the wall and slide to the hardwood floor. He ran his hands back up her silky smooth skin, taking in a deep breath.

He couldn't believe what was happening as he stared down at the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on, laying before him in only a bra and underwear set. She smiled up at him as he slid his arms behind her, unhooking her bra and sliding it down her arms and throwing it to the ground. Her chest now bear to him, he stopped breathing. Not that he needed the air but it became a habit over the years. Elena sat up, tugging on his sweats, pulling them down to his knees. He kicked them off as she tried to reach into his underwear. He grabbed her wrists, "Ladies First." She giggled as he pushed her back on to the bed…

After she fell asleep, Damon got up, pulling on his sweats and returning to finish the dishes. He growled when he saw Katherine sitting at the kitchen table, one leg over the other's knee. "How did you get in here?" Katherine smirked, "I'm a vampire Damon not some fucking human." He rolled his eyes. "It sounded like you two were having fun." She eyed him up, from his bare chest and his sex hair that looked like that bitch ran her fingers through it hundreds of times. "Leave Elena out of this, you had no right coming here today and threaten her." Katherine grinned, standing t up to be eye level with him, "I can say whatever I want to whoever I want. That bitch has you and I don't like it." Damon crossed his arms over his chest, "Don't you think its bit too late for jealousy Katherine? And that bitch is _your_ flesh and blood. Or have you forgotten?" she pursed her lips, "Ouch, and no I haven't forgotten but it seems like you haven't either." "What do you want Katherine?" "Oh whatever do you mean?" she was inches away from him as he said, "You only come around if you want something, I haven't seen you in over twenty years, why the sudden change?" "Maybe I missed you." Damon nodded, rolling his eyes.

Katherine inched even closer, their lips merely a millimeter apart. Damon pushed her away, "Leave." Katherine shook her head, "You're a weak man Damon, it'll only be a matter of time before you crack." "Damon, come back to bed." It was Elena. Katherine smirked, heading for the door, "You're putty in her hands you know that? You were the same with me too. You know Damon, Elena and me we aren't that different." Before he could respond with a snide remark, she had disappeared, something she was very good at doing.


End file.
